Royal Caribbean's latest ship sports a robot bar, super-fast connectivity

Assuming you weren't traveling on the Carnival Ecstasy or Crown Princess, your last cruise ship probably had flushing toilets and 24/7 electricity, but not much else in the way of tech amenities. Royal Caribbean's latest vessel, the Quantum of the Seas, promises so much more. We've already met the ship's Virtual Balconies, which use 80-inch displays to bring a live sea view to windowless staterooms, but the company just announced a slew of other features, including a new venue called Bionic Bar where you can place an order on a tablet and watch a robotic bartender mix up your concoction.

There's also a smart check-in process that uses RFID tech to get guests from "sidewalk to ship" in 10 minutes, RFID wristbands that let passengers charge purchases and open cabin doors, and speedy satellite connectivity, with support for multiplayer gaming from the Xbox Live SeaPlex, video chats and streaming content. Quantum is expected to begin sailing passengers from New York City in November before making its way to its base in Shanghai, China next year.